Combination blender-dispenser for powdered materials



July 4, 1967 J. B. SWETT ETAL COMBINATION BLENDER-DISPENSER FOR POWDERED MATERIALS 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 10, 1965 I NVENTORS JAMES B. SWETT ROLAND F. BOULRIS 9105 9 4;

ATIORNEXM y 1967 J. B. SWETT ETAL COMBINATION BLENDER-DISPENSER FOR POWDERED MATERIALS 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 10, 1965 INVENTORS JAMES B. SWET T ROLAND F. BOULR IS W ATTOR NEY y4 1961 mswm Em 3 3 ,31

COMBINATION BLENDER-DISPENSER FOR POWDERED MATERIALS Filed May 10, 1965 s Sheets-$heet s 'lliJ I I 'm \la 'ijklzfllq INVENTORS JAMES B. SWETT BY ROLAND F. BOULRIS RNEY United States Patent a 329 318 COMBINATION BLirNfiER-nIsIENsER FOR rowunnnn MATERIALS James B. Swett, Barrington, and Roland F. Boulris, Woonsocket, R.I., assignors to Rexall Drug and Chemical Company, Los Angeles, Calill, a corporation of Delaware Filed May 10, 1965, Ser. No. 454,29

11 Claims. (Cl. 222-189) type structure and wherein a clearer or agitator member.

is disposed in relationship to said screen whereupon agitation of such member permits the granular or powdered material to sift through the screen openings. Such prior art dispensers present several disadvantges in their use as such as are not adapted for the storage containment of material not entirely dipensed therefrom during the intervals between using such dispenser. Such intervals include those of a short duration such as would be occasioned 'by the preparation of several pastry items and would necessitate the picking up and setting down of the dispenser on numerous occasions as the pastry work progressed, and those intervals of a relatively longer peroid of time, e.g. those occasioned by the periodic dispensing of a powdered or the like material to a single end use environment such as evenly distributing a sugar-cinnamon mixture upon the familys toast each monring. Thus, when used at short use intervals as initially set out it has been found that upon each replacement of a known dispensing device upon its supporting surface that a ring of material sifts through the screen due to the impact of the device with the supporting surface therefor, which ring represents additional bother and clean-up time to the user of the dispensing device. In the second case above set out, it is not possible with conventional devices of this type to safely store the unused portion of powdered or the like material which is subjected to caking or infestation within the dispenser from day to day and thus such prior art devices normally must be cleaned prior to intermediate storage and in many cases necessitates the discarding of unused portions of material within the dispenser or the separate safe storage thereof.

It is thus an object of the present invention to provide a dispenser for granular, powdered or the like material which will avoid the above shortcomings of prior art devices and in which material may be dispensed from an included storage compartment at bottom portions thereof, stably supported in an inverted non-use position by a top rim thereof and wherein the bottom dispensing portion of such device is provided with an imperforate cover for intermediate storage of unused portions of the material within the storage compartment.

'It is further an object of this invention to also provide a device which may be filled while in an inverted stable position from the dispensing end of such device and wherein the dispensing means located at such end are readily removable therefrom to facilitate such inverted filling.

It is a still further object of this invention to provide a dispensing device of the type described having a main housing including a material storage compartment therein which housing terminates in a peripheral rim at the lower dispensing end thereof wherein means is provided for locating and facilitating the manner in which a re- Patented July 4, 1967 movable dispensing member may be engaged with such peripheral rim. 4

A still additional object of the present invention is the provision of a device of the class above described in which various dry materials may be blended therein by alternately forcing such material between storage and 'blending compartments wherein such compartments are separated by a sieve screen.

It is also an object of the present invention to provide a device of the class described in which material to be dispensed therefrom freely passes therefrom upon actuation of dispensing means incorporated therein and such dispensing flow is of a smooth uninterrupted nature and less subject to clogging or other flow stoppages than hitherto known devices of the same class.

The invention will appear more clearly from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings showing, by way of example, a preferred embodiment of the inventive concept.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the dispenser device showing components thereof in assembled position;

FIGURE 2 is also a perspective view of the dispenser device shown in FIGURE 1 but with the bottom seal removed therefrom and the device placed in inverted position and wherein the material dispensing means therefor has been removed therefrom and shown in offset position thereto. The positioning of the device as shown in FIG- URE 2 thus represents its inverted filling position;

FIGURE 3 is an exploded perspective view of the dispensing device and shows the interrelationship of its component parts one to the other;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged perpsective view of a portion of the bottom of the dispensing device as shown in FIG- URE 1 of the drawings with portions broken away for clarity and shows in particular the interaction between the motion transmitting means and the rotatable sifter in cooperation with the overall material dispensing means assembly;

FIGURE 5 is a cross-sectional view along the line 55 of FIGURE 4 on an enlarged scale and shows in particular the manner in which the material dispensing means produces a smooth even flow of material from the dispensing compartment and includes a showing of a further embodiment of the present invention wherein an enlarged secondary chamber is provided at the lower end thereof whereby material may be dry blended by alternately passing between the two chambers therein depicted;

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged sectional view of a portion of the device shown in FIGURE 5 and in particular sets forth the relationship of the main housing lower peripher-al rim with the U-shaped .groove provided on the material dispensing means;

FIGURE 7 is a partial perspective view on a somewhat enlarged scale showing the interrelationship of the motion transmitting means with the actuator therefor;

FIGURE 8 is a sectional elevation taken along the line 8-8 of FIGURE 7 with the actuator means in actuating position;

FIGURE 9 is an enlarged top plan view of the motion transmitting shaft shown in FIGURES 3, 7 and 8 of the drawings; and,

FIGURE 10 is an enlarged sectional view showing the interrelationship of the shaft end shown in FIGURE 9 of the drawings with the actuator therefor in position thereover similar to the showing-in FIGURE 8 of the drawing.

Like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the specification.

The dispenser 10 of the present invention is shown in assembled position in FIGURE 1 whereas the component parts are best illustrated in exploded FIGURE 3. The device also has utility as a combination blender-dispenser 11 and its operation as such will be described in particular in conjunction with the detailed description of an embodiment included in FIGURE 5 of the drawings.

The dispenser is comprised of a main housing 12, a material dispensing means comprising bottom member 13 and sifter member 14, an actuator 15 and motion transmitting means 16. The major components 'of the dispenser 10 may be assembled as shown in the "drawings so that material to be dispensed may be stored within the main housing and dispensed therefrom by actuation of the actuator 15, e.g. by manual means, which thereupon brings about rotating contact of the sifter member 14 in cooperation with the bottom member 13 by means of the motion transmitting means 16 located between the actuator and the material dispensing means.

The over-all structure of the main housing 12 is best shown by reference to FIGURE 3 and 8 of the drawings in which an end wall 17 is provided at the top portion thereof from which side walls 18 downwardly and preferably outwardly extend therefrom and terminate in a peripheral rim portion 19 at the bottom end thereof. The preferred shape of the device as imparted thereto by end wall 17 and side walls 18 is generally that of a truncated cone, although it should be understood that shapes other than that are contemplated within the satisfactory operational scope of the device. The end wall 17, the side walls 18, and upper portions of the material dispensing means cooperate to define a material storage compartment 20.

The bottom member 13 which in part makes up the material dispensing means is adapted for releasable engagement with the peripheral side wall rim portion 19 by provision thereon of a U-shaped groove 21 of which the detailed construction and operational aspects thereof will hereinafter be more clearly brought out. The sifter member 14 is thus adapted to be in supported contact with the bottom member 13 and is further positioned longitudinally and centrally of the main housing 12 in such a manner so as to project above the end wall 17 thereof and operationally engage the actuator 15. It may thus be seen that by turning the actuator 15 rotary motion is transmitted through means 16 to the sifter member 14 whereby material, within the main housing 12 is sifted therefrom.

Returning to the construction of the main housing 12, it is readily apparent from the several drawings and in particular FIGURE 8 that the top end thereof'is provided with a hollow skirt 22 having an upper terminal rim 23 substantially lying in a plane normal to the main longitudinal axis of the dispenser 10. The skirt 22 is integrally connected to the side walls 18 as depicted and extends upwardly and outwardly therefrom although such skirt may alternatively depend from the end wall 17 in such a manner as to form a continuation of side walls 18 and thus eliminate the pocket therebetween so as to facilitate cleaning. It should be noted that such rim 23 extends above the actuator 15 when such actuator is in operational engagement with the motion transmitting means 16. The terminal rim 23 which may or may not be of continuous configuration thus permits the dispenser 10 to be stably supported while in inverted non-use and filling positions. Thus, the housewife or other user of the device may conveniently sift small portions of flour or other like material and when finished with such operation invert the device so such is held in a temporary non-use inverted position and repeatedly perform such use and non-use functions of the device with maximum convenience and without the inherent drawback of prior art devices of shaking loose material in contact with the material dispensing means upon the supporting surfaces for the device. In this manner then, the dispenser 10 functions in a new manner which enhances its utility and operational conveniences over those sifter devices previously available.

The above described ability of the present device to be stably supported in an inverted position further enables the user thereof to conveniently remove the material dispensing means from the main housing and fully conveniently exposed the material storage compartment 20 for filling or removal of unused material remaining therein as shown particularly in FIGURE 2 of the drawings. It should be brought out at this time that unused material remaining within the storage compartment 20 may be conveniently stored therein through provision of an imperforate bottom end seal closure 24 readily engageable with the bottom member 13 should the material being dispensed be of a nature such that it is subject to caking, spoilage, contamination, infestation, etc.

Referring now particularly to FIGURES 4, 5 and 6 of the drawings, the constructional and operational aspects of the material dispensing means is best shown. The bottom member 13 thereof is made up of a generally cylindrical first side wall 25, an arcuate upper end closure wall 26 disposed within the first side wall 25 and integrally connected thereto along the upper terminus thereof. The upper end closure wall 26 has at the outer peripheral portion thereof an imperforate outer ring-shaped web 27 integral with the first side wall 25, and an inner imperforate web 28 generally located centrally thereof and an intermediate wall 29 therebetween. The over-all shape of the upper end closure wall 26 is preferably that of an inverted dome-like configuration and it is upon the upper surface of such wall that the sifter member 14 is engaged in supported operational contact. The intermediate wall 29 is made up of a plurality of interconnected and generally criss-cross secondary webs 30 so as to form a plurality of openings 31 therebetween. The cross-sectional dimension of each of said secondary webs 30 is generally greater at the top portion thereof than at the under portion thereof so that material initially presented at the upper material contacting side of the intermediate wall 29 will readily entirely pass through the openings 31 when upon initially entering the top portion thereof. In this manner then, material passing from the storage compartment 20 through the material dispensing means will have a reduced tendency to undesirably adhere to the secondary connecting webs 30 or become press-packed or otherwise lodged within the openings 31 former therebetween.

The inner web 28 is generally circular and provided with a central depression or pocket 32 which by reference to FIGURE 5 of the drawings may be readily observed as being of use to position a sifter member 14 centrally of the upper end closure wall 26 of the bottom member 13. The inner web 28 is further provided at its upper end thereof with a raised platform 33 which in turn serves as a pivot surface for the sifter member 14 also shown best in FIGURE 5 of the drawings.

The sifter member 14 is comprised of a central hub portion 34 having a plurality of material agitating arms 35 radiating therefrom. The upper surface of each of the arms 35 has an upstanding narrow rib 36 integrally formed therewith and generally normally disposed thereto. The ribs are in turn of a height progressively increasing outwardly from the hub 34 and towards the side walls 18 of the storage compartment 20 when such sifter member 14 is in operational contact with the upper end closure wall 26 as depicted. Preferably each of these radiating ribs 36 is provided with an upstanding material contacting paddle 37 at the outer terminus thereof. Each of such material contacting terminal paddles 37 is preferably of semi-circular cross-sectional configuration and preferably generally superimposed centrally over the inner periphery of the outer web 27 as shown. In this manner then, the agitated material flow from the storage compartment 20 through-the perforated intermediate wall 29 is enhanced by the impartation thereto of a downwardly inwardly flow pattern as shown by the arrows in FIG- URE 5. Such downwardly inwardly material flow movement in part provides for an uninterrupted orderly material flow and such desirable end is brought about by the cooperation of the outwardly divergent and preferably conelike side walls 18, the generally inverted dome-like configuration of the end closure wall 26 and the configuration and placement of the material contacting ribs 36 in relationship to such end closures wall 26. The shape of the openings 31 in that the cross-sectional dimensions of such are smaller at the upper material contacting side of the intermediate wall 29 than at the lower portion thereof further enhances such desirable downwardly, inwardly and curvilinear material flow.

Referring back to the motion transmitting means 16, such is made up of a major shaft portion 38, a lower end portion 39 operatively engageable with the sifter member 14 and an upper end portion 40 operatively associated with the actuator 15. The lower end portion 39 of the shaft 38 is provided with a plurality of longitudinal ribs 41 projecting from a reduced terminal shaft portion 42 thereof and are engageable with longitudinal slots 43 radially spaced along the inside of a hollow boss 44 upwardly extending from the hub 34. The base of the hollow boss 44 is provided with stop means 45 for contact with the end 46 of the reduced terminal shaft portion 42.

The upper end 40 of the shaft 38 is provided with actuator engaging means 47, the details of which will be hereinafter explained. As best seen in FIGURES 3 and 8 of the drawings, the upper end of the shaft is provided with a radial flange 48 adapted to abuttingly engage the lower end 49 of a collar 50 downwardly extending from the top end wall 17. The collar 50 is further provided with a bore 51 therethrough of a diameter approximately equal to that of an upper end shaft extension 52 which is in turn located intermediate the radial flange 48 and the actuator engaging means 47.

The actuator engaging means 47 comprises a lower splined shaft 53, an upper bifurcated head 54 and a connecting portion 55 of reduced lateral extent or diameter. The upper bifurcated head 54 is preferably made up of two enlarged head segments 56 generally conforming in configuration to quarter sphere segments. The head segments 56 are in general opposition to each other with the partial spherical surfaces of such distal from each other and normally separated by a central longitudinal slot 57.

The actuator is provided with a main cap 58, a handle 59 radially extending therefrom and a manually engageable swivel element 60 attached to the handle and operable upon arcuate movement thereof by the users fingers and hand to transmit motion through means 16 to effectively operate the sifter device of the present invention. The actuator cap 58 is provided with a hollow bore 60 open at the bottom and closed at the top portions thereof. The initial lower extent 62 of this bore is cooperatively provided with radially spaced longitudinal recesses 63 in cooperative receipt of the splined shaft 53 insuch a manner so as to prevent relative rotation between the actuator and the motion transmitting means. The top portion of this bore 61 is provided with an enlarged chamber 64 for receipt of the head segments 56 of the actuator engaging means 47. It should be noted that the lateral extent or diameter of this enlarged chamber is somewhat less than that of the normal unbiased lateral extent or diameter of the head segments 56 and that accordingly the head segments are biased towards each other when the actuator engaging means 47 is fully seated within the cap portion 58 of the actuator. The bore 61 of the cap is further provided with a bead 65 located between the head segments 56 and the splined shaft 53. The bead 65 thus produces as best shown in FIGURE an intermediate throat 66 of a diameter or lateral extent slightly smaller than that of the head segments 56 so that such into the enlarged chamber 64.

In such a manner a tight effective and live connection is formed between the actuator and the motion transmitting means so as to effect operational rotation of the sifter member 14. The upper end closure 17 is further provided centrally thereof with an upstanding pivot boss 67 for receipt of bottom ring 68 of the cap 58. It should be noted that the longitudinal distance of the upper end portion 40 of the shaft 38 from the upper portion of the radial flange 48 to the tip of the head segments 56 is substantially equal to the combined longitudinal extent of the collar 50,the boss 67, and the hollow cap bore 61 so as to prevent longitudinal play in the assembly as Well as assuring that a bottom ring 68 of the cap 58 will ride on the pivot boss 67.

It should also be noted at this time that the total longitudinal extent of the shaft 38 including the lower end portion and the longitudinal extent of flange 48 is equal to or slightly greater than the as depicted assembled distance between the stop means 45 of the sifter member 14 and the lower end 49 of the collar 50 so that the end 46 of the reduced terminal shaft portion 42 urges the radial arms 35 of the sifter member 14 against the upper end of the closure wall 26 so as to assure preferred frictional operational contact therewith during the use of the device. It should be noted that several component parts of the device present invention are preferably formed of plastic material such as polyethylene and as such the thin walled sections thereof will be somewhat flexible and that specifically the bottom member 13 thereof is preferably formed of a low-density resilient polyethylene. Accordingly, slight overages through possible molding inaccuracies in the longitudinal extent of that portion of the motion transmitting means 16 last above referred to would tend to accentuate the inverted dome-like or arcuate configuration of the upper end closure wall 26 so as to enhance the aforementioned desirable downwardly inwardly material flow.

Also, as hereinbefore mentioned, the dispenser 10 of the present invention may be placed in an inverted temporary non-use position by supporting surface contact with the terminal rim 23 of the hollow skirt 22. In such inverted position it will be recognized that the motion transmitting means 16 will be able to shift position slightly in a direction towards the end wall 17 in some cases due to constructional tolerances or by the fiexure resistance transmitted thereto through the flexible perforated end closure wall 26. In such cases the radial flange 48 even more firmly abuts the lower end 49 of the collar 50 which action serves as a valve closure means so as to prevent extra fine material from sifting outwardly of the storage compartment 20 through the slight operational non-contacting area between the collar bore 51 and the upper shaft extension 52.

Further detailed construction of the bottom member 13 is set forth in FIGURE 6 of the drawings wherein it may be seen that the first side wall 25 thereof is downwardly outwardly divergent at an angle substantially equal to that of the peripheral side wall rim portion 19. Furthermore, the upper end closure wall 26 is integrally connected to the first side wall 25 by means of the outer web 27 and such juncture 69 is characterized by a smooth outer arcuate transmission so that the juncture serves as a location means by which the engagement of the bottom member 13 with the peripheral side wall rim portions 19 may be facilitated. Thus, the mid-point of the juncture 69 is of a diameter or lateral extent slightly smaller than that of the inner terminus of the peripheral side wall rim portion 19, and accordingly initially enhances the direction of the peripheral side wall rim portion 19 for receipt within the U-shaped groove 21. As is apparent from FIG. 6, the U-shaped groove 21 is formed by outer upper portions of the first side wall and by a second generally cylindrical side wall 71 radially outwardly spaced therefrom and by a flexible connecting web 72 integrally joining first and second side walls. This connecting web 72 is located a distance below the aforementioned juncture 69 which distance in effect determines the effective longitudinal depth of the U-shaped groove 21. The connecting Web 72 as is the entire bottom member 13 preferably fabricated from flexible low-density polyethylene or similar materials exhibiting such property so that the second side wall 71 may be arcuately flexed about the web 72 in response to forces created from Wedging the rim portion 19 into the groove 21 or by other lateral forces applied to the second side wall 71. In this manner then, such lateral forces will not be in large transmitted to the upper portions of the first side wall 25 or consequently to the upper end closure Wall 26 integrally connected therewith. This flex action thus prevents undesirable twisting or buckling of the perforated intermediate wall 29 and thus promotes desirable uniform contact of such perforated surfaces with the radiating arms of the sifter member as hereinbefore brought out. The connecting web 72 may be of reduced diameter at its second side Wall juncture 73 to increase such flexibility.

As previously indicated the device of the present invention may also be used as a combination blender-dispenser in which lower peripheral terminus of the first side wall 25 of the bottom member 13 is provided with the imperforate sealing closure 24 as best shown in FIGURE 5 of the drawings. In such usage, the first side wall 25 may be of increased length as indicated by the break in this wall in FIGURE 5 so as to provide a larger secondary or blending compartment 74 as defined by the inner portions of the bottom member 13 and the seal closure 24. The seal closure 24 is accordingly provided with a depressed central wall 75, an inner upstanding wall 76 integral with the periphery of such central wall, an outer wall 77 and a connecting wall 78 so as to define a U-shaped groove for receipt of the lower peripheral portions of the first side wall 25. Operated as a dry blender, materials such as cinnamon and sugar are placed within the storage compartment 20 in desired relative quantities and the device assembled so as to include the engagement of closure 24 with the peripheral lower portions of the first side wall 25 in such a manner so as to eifectuate the formation of the secondary compartment 74 as above described. The device 11 is then actuated in its upright position whereby the unmixed or improperly distributed material mix is dispensed from the storage compartment 20 into the secondary compartment 74. The device 11 then may be inverted and the material previously dispensed into the secondary compartment 74 returned by like actuation of the device into the storage compartment 20. Several such alternate material movements between the compartments may be desirable especially in those cases where the longitudinal extent of the first side wall 25 is not materially increased over that shown in FIGURE 1 of the drawings.

The seal closure 24 is utilized during temporary storage of unused portions of material held within the storage compartment 20, the secondary compartment 74 or both such compartments when it is desirable to protect unused portions of material when such are subject to caking, in festation and the like.

It may be seen from the above description of the invention that novel and advantageous provision has been made for carrying out the desired ends. However, attention is directed to the fact that other variations may be made in the device of the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, as defined in the appended claims.

We claim:

1. A granular, powdered and the like materials dispenser comprising in combination a main housing having a material storage compartment therein, material dispensing means at the bottom end of said housing, an

actuator at the top end of said housing and motion transmitting means between said actuator and said material dispensing means for dispensing material from said material storage compartment; wherein said housing comprises a substantially hollow unit having a top end wall and side walls downwardly extending therefrom and terminating in a peripheral rim so as to in part define said storage compartment; and said material dispensing means comprising a bottom member comprising a generally cylindrical outer wall having a bottom rim and an upstanding upwardly directed U-shaped top rim engageable with said side walls peripheral rim, an end closure wall generally normally disposed to said outer wall and upwardly spaced from the bottom rim of said outer wall, said end closure wall having an imperforate outer ring-shaper web integral with said outer wall, an imperforate central web and an intermediate wall be tween said webs provided with a plurality of openings therethrough so as to form a sieve through which material within said storage compartment may be dispensed, a rotatable sifter member operatively connected to said motion transmitting means and movable by means of said actuator, said sifter member being in major supported contact with said perforated end closure wall and comprising a central hub portion having a plurality of material agitating arms radiating therefrom, said arms being in low frictional contact with said perforated intermediate wall and of an upper material contacting configuration characterized by a radiating narrow upstanding rib, said rib of a progressively increasing height towards the said side walls and terminating in an enlarged material contacting paddle generally superimposed centrally over the periphery of said imperforate outer web and in close non-contacting proximity to said side walls.

2. The device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said housing includes a hollow top skirt having dispenser supporting portions thereof extending upwardly of both said top end wall and said actuator so as to support the dispenser in an inverted non-dispensing position.

3. A granular, powdered and the like materials dispenser comprising in combination a main housing having a material storage compartment therein, material dispensing means at the bottom end of said housing, an actuator at the top end of said housing and motion transmitting means between said actuator and said material dispensing means for dispensing material from said material storage compartment; wherein said housing comprises a substantially hollow cone-like unit having a top end wall and outwardly divergent side walls extending downwardly therefrom and terminating in a peripheral rim so as to in part define said storage compartment; and said material dispensing means comprising a bottom member comprising a generally cylindrical outer wall having an upstandingly upwardly directed U-shaped top rim engageable with said side walls peripheral rim and an arcuate end closure wall generally normally disposed to said outer wall wherein said end closure wall is upwardly spaced from the bottom rim of said outer wall and of an over-all inverted dome-like configuration, said arcuate end closure wall further having an imperforate outer ring-shaped web integral with said outer wall, an imperforate central web depressed in relationship to said outer web and an upwardly sloped intermediate wall between said webs which intermediate wall is provided with a plurality of openings therethrough so as to form a sieve through which material within said storage compartment may be dispensed, a rotatable sifter member operatively connected to said motion transmitting means and movable by means of said actuator, said sifter member being in major supported contact with said perforated end closure wall and comprising a central hub portion having a plurality of material agitating arms radiating therefrom, said arms being in low frictional contact with said perforated intermediate wall and of an upper material contacting configuration characterized by a radiating rib terminating in an enlarged material contacting paddle generally superimposed centrally over the inner periphery of said imperforate outer web and in close noncontacting proximity to said side walls, wherein cooperation of said outwardly divergent cone-like side walls, the

configuration and structure of the perforated end closure wall and the configuration and placement of said upper material contacting paddles produces upon actuation of said dispenser a downwardly inwardly curvilinear flow of the material to be dispensed proximate said end closure wall.

4. The device according to claim 3 wherein the openings formed within the intermediate wall are formed by a plurality of interconnected webs in which the crosssectional dimension of each of said webs is generally greater at the top portion of said intermediate wall than at the under portion of said intermediate wall whereby material dispensing openings of a generally lesser crosssectional area are presented proximate to the material storage side of such intermediate wall than on the material dispensing downstream side thereof so that all the material initially passing through such smaller dispensing openings readily passes entirely therethrough.

5. A granular, powdered and the like material dispenser comprising in combination a main housing have a material storage compartment therein, material dispensing means at the bottom end of said housing, an actuator at the top end of said housing and motion transmitting means between said actuator at the top end of said housing and motion transmitting means between said actuator and said material dispensing means for dispensing material from said material storage compartment; wherein said housing comprises a substantially hollow unit having a top end wall and side walls extending therefrom and terminating in a peripheral rim so as to define in part said storage compartment; and said material dispensing means comprising a bottom member comprising a generally cylindrical first side wall, an upper end closure wall generally normally disposed within said first side wall and integrally connected thereto along the upper terminus thereof, said end closure wall provided with a plurality of openings t-herethrough so as to form a sieve through which material within said storage compartment may be dispensed, the connecting juncture of said end closure wall and said first side wall being characterized by a smooth outer transition wherein the upper portions of said first side wall extend downwardly and outwardly from the peripheral portion of said end closure wall at said juncture, a second generally cylindrical side wall entirely outwardly radially spaced from said first side wall at the upper end thereof, said second side wal integraly and fiezibly connected to said first side wall by a web downwardly spaced from said aforementioned juncture, said web and said first and second side walls forming an upwardly directed U- shaped groove for receipt of said housing side wall peripheral rim whereby said second side wall freely arcuately flexes about side web in response to forces applied generally normally to said second side wall, a rotatable sifter member operatively connected to said motion transmitting means and movable by means of said actuator.

6. A granular, powdered and the like materials dispenser comprising in combination a main housing having a material storage compartment therein, material dispensing means at the bottom end of said housing, an actuator at the top end of said housing and motiontransmitting means between said actuator and said material dispensing means for dispensing material from said material storage compartment; wherein said housing comprises a substantially hollow cone-like unit having a top end wall and outwardly divergent side walls extending therefrom and terminating in a peripheral rim so as to in part define said storage compartment; and said material dispensing means comprising a bottom member comprising a generally cylindrical first side wall, an arcuate upper end closure wall generally normal disposed within said first side wall and integrally connected thereto along the upper terminus thereof, said end closure wall having an overall inverted domelike configuration, an imperforate outer ring-shaped web integral with said first side wall and an imperforate central web depressed in relationship to said outer web, an upwardly sloped intermediate wall between said webs provided with a plurality of openings therethrough so as to form a sieve through which material within said storage compartment may be dispensed, the connecting juncture of said end closure wall and said first side wall being characterized by a smooth outer transition wherein the upper portions of said first side wall extend downwardly and outwardly from the peripheral portions of said end closure wall, a second generally cylindrical side wall entirely outwardly radially spaced from said first side wall at the upper end thereof, said second side wall integrally and flexibly connected to said first side wall by a web downwardly spaced from said aforementioned juncture, said web and said first and second side walls forming an upwardly directed U-shaped groove for receipt of said housing side wall peripheral rim whereby said second side wall freely arcuately flexes about said web in response to forces applied generally normally to said second side wall, a rotatable sifter member operatively connected to said motion transmitting means and movable by means of said actuator, and said sifter member being in major supported contact with said upper closure wall and comprising a central hub portion having a plurality of material agitating arms radiating therefrom, said arms being in low frictional contact with said perforated intermediate wall.

7. The device as set forth in claim 6 wherein said material agitating arms are of an upper material contacting configuration characterized by a radiating rib terminating in an enlarged material contacting paddle generally superimposed centrally over the inner periphery of said imperforate outer Web and in close noncontacting proximity to said side walls wherein cooperation of said outwardly divergent cone-like side walls, the configuration and structure of such sieved end closure wall and the configuration and placement of said upper material contacting paddles of said sifter member produces upon actuation of said actuator a downwardly inwardly curvilinear fiow within the material to be dispensed proximate said end closure wall.

8. A granular, powdered and the like materials dispenser comprising in combination a main housing having a material storage compartment therein, material dispensing means at the bottom end of said housing, an actuator at the top end of said housing and motion transmitting means between said actuator and said material dispensing means for dispensing material from said material storage compartment; wherein said housing comprises a substantially hol-low unit having .a top end wall and sidewalls downwardly extending therefrom and terminating in a peripheral rim so as to in part define said storage compartment; and said material dispensing means comprising a bottom member comprising .a generally cylindrical outer wall having a bottom rim and an upstanding upwardly directed U-shaped top rim engageable with said sidewalls peripheral rim, an end enclosure wall generally normally disposed to said outer wall and upwardly spaced from the bottom rim of said outer wall, said end closure wal-l having an imperforate outer ring-shaped web integral with said outer wall, an imperforate central web and an intermediate wall between said webs provided with a plurality of openings therethrough so as to form a sieve through which material within said storage compartment may be dispensed, a rotatable sifter member operatively connected to said motion transmitting means and movable by means of said actuator, said sifter member being in major support contact with said perforated end closure wall and comprising a central hub portion having a plurality of material agitating arms radiating therefrom, and said imperforate central web being of cup shaped central configuration and wherein said sifter member central hub portion is in aligned contact therewith so as to position said sifter member and said motion transmitting means longitudinally centrally of said dispenser.

9. A granular, powdered and the like materials dispenser comprising in combination a main housing having a material storage compartment therein, material dispensing means at the bottom end of said housing, an actuator at the top end of said housing and motion transmitting means between said actuator and said material dispensing means for dispensing material from said material storage compartment; wherein said housing comprises a substantialy hollow unit having a top end wall and sidewalls extending downwardly therefrom and terminating in a peripheral rim so as to in part define said storage compartment; and said material dispensing means comprising a bottom member comprising a generally cylindrical outer wall having an upstanding upwardly directed U-shaped top rim engageable with said side walls peripheral rim and an arcuate end closure wall generally normally disposed to said outer wall wherein said end closure wall is upwardly spaced from the bottom rim of said outer wall and of an overall inverted dome-like configuration, said arcuate end closure Wall further having an imperforate outer ring-shaped web integral with said outer wall, an imperforate central web depressed in relationship to said outer web and an upwardly sloped intermediate wall between said webs which intermediate wall is provided with a plurality of openings therethrough so as to form a sieve through which material within said storage compartment may be dispensed, a rotatable sifter member operatively connected to said motion transmitting means and movable by means of said actuator, said sifter .member being in major supported contact with said perforated end closure wall and comprising a central hub portion having a plurality of material agitating arms radiating therefrom, said arms being in low frictional contact with said perforated intermediate wall and of an upper material contacting configuration characterized by a radiating rib terminating in an enlarged material contacting paddle generally superimposed centrally over the inner periphery of said imperforate outer web and in close non-contacting proximity to said sidewalls, wherein cooperation of said side walls, the configuration and structure of the perforated end closure wall and the configuration and placement of said upper material contacting paddles produces upon actuation of said dispenser a downwardly inwardly curvilinear flow of the material to be dispensed proximate said end closure wall.

10. A granular, powdered and the like materials dis penser comprising in combination a main housing having a material storage compartment therein, material dispensing means at the bottom end of said housing, an actuator at the top end of said housing and motion transmitting means between said actuator and said material dispensing means for dispensing material from said material storage compartment; wherein said housing comprises a substantially hollow unit having a top end wall and sidewalls extending downwardly therefrom and terminating in a peripheral rim so as to in part define said storage compartment; and said material dispensing means comprising a bottom member comprising a generally cylindrical outer wall. having an upstanding upwardly directed U-shaped top rim engageable with said sidewalls peripheral rim and an end closure wall generally normally disposed to said outer wall wherein said end closure wall is upwardly spaced from the bottom rim of said outer wall, said end closure wall'further having an imperforate outer rin shaped web intergral with said outer wall, an imperforate central web intermediate wall between said webs which intermediate wall is provided with a plurality of openings therethrou gh so as to form a sieve through which material within said storage compartment may be dispensed, a rotatable sifter member operatively connected to said motion transmitting means and movable by means of said actuator, said sifter member being in major supported contact with said perforated end closure wall and comprising a central hub portion having a plurality of material agitating arms radiating therefrom, said arms being in low frictional contact with said perforated intermediate wall and of an upper material contacting configuration characterized by a radiating rib terminating in an enlarged material contacting paddle generally superimposed centrally over the inner periphery of said imperforate outer web and in close non-contacting proximity to said sidewalls, wherein cooperation of said sidewalls, the configuration and structure of the perforated end closure wall and the configuration and placement of said upper material contacting paddles produces upon actuation of said dispenser a downwardly inwardly curvilinear flow of the material to be dispensed proximate said end closure wall.

11. A granular, powdered and the like materials dispenser comprising in combination a main housing having a material storage compartment therein, material dispensing means at the bottom end of said housing, an actuator at the top end of said housing and motion transmitting means between said actuator and said material dispensing means for dispensing material from said material storage compartment; wherein said housing comprises a substantially hollow unit having a top end wall and sidewalls extending downwardly therefrom and terminating in a peripheral rim so as to in part define said storage compartment; and said material dispensing means comprising a bottom member comprising a generally cylindrical outer wall having an upstanding upwardly directed U-shaped top rim engageable with said sidewalls peripheral rim and an arcuate end closure wall generally normally disposed to said outer wall wherein said end closure wall is upwardly spaced from the bottom rim of said outer wall and of an overall inverted dome-like configuration, said arcuate end closure wall further having an imperforate outer ringshaped web intergral with said outer wall, an imperforate central web depressed in relationship to said outer web and an upwardly sloped intermediate wall between said webs which intermediate wall is provided with a plurality of openings therethrough so as to form a sieve through which material within said storage compartment may be dispensed, a rotatable sifter member operatively connected to said motion transmitting means and movable by means of said actuator and being in major supported contact with said perforated central closure wall.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,292,983 2/1919 Abby 209-283 1,593,312 7/1926 Shappell 209358 X 2,168,130 8/1939 Lingle 209283 2,511,357 6/1950 Marty 209-358 X 2,695,732 11/ -4 Tupper 222189 2,884,876 5/1959 Marquis 209358 X ROBERT B. REEVES, Primary Examiner.

STANLEY H, TOLLBERG, Examiner, 

1. A GRANULAR, POWDERED AND THE LIKE MATERIALS DISPENSER COMPRISING IN COMBINATION A MAIN HOUSING HAVING A MATERIAL STORAGE COMPARTMENT THEREIN, MATERIAL DISPENSING MEANS AT THE BOTTOM END OF SAID HOUSING, AN ACTUATOR AT THE TOP END OF SAID HOUSING AND MOTION TRANSMITTING MEANS BETWEEN SAID ACTUATOR AND SAID MATERIAL DISPENSING MEANS FOR DISPENSING MATERIAL FROM SAID MATERIAL STORAGE COMPARTMENT; WHEREIN SAID HOUSING COMPRISES A SUBSTANTIALLY HOLLOW UNIT HAVING A TOP END WALL AND SIDE WALLS DOWNWARDLY EXTENDING THEREFROM AND TERMINATING IN A PERIPHERAL RIM SO AS TO IN PART DEFINE SAID STORAGE COMPARTMENT; AND SAID MATERIAL DISPENSING MEANS COMPRISING A BOTTOM MEMBER COMPRISING A GENERALLY CYLINDRICAL OUTER WALL HAVING A BOTTOM RIM AND AN UPSTANDING UPWARDLY DIRECTED U-SHAPED TOP RIM ENGAGEABLE WITH SAID SIDE WALLS PERIPHERAL RIM, AN END CLOSURE WALL GENERALLY NORMALLY DISPOSED TO SAID OUTER WALL AND UPWARDLY SPACED FROM THE BOTTOM RIM OF SAID OUTER WALL, SAID END CLOSURE WALL HAVING AN IMPERFORATE OUTER RING-SHAPER WEB INTEGRAL WALL HAVING OUTER WALL, AN IMPERFORATE CENTRAL WEB AND AN INTERMEDIATE WALL BETWEEN SAID WEBS PROVIDED WITH A PLURALITY OF OPENINGS THERETHROUGH SO AS TO FORM A SIEVE THROUGH WHICH MATERIAL WITHIN SAID STORAGE COMPARTMENT MAY BE DISPENSED, A ROTATABLE SIFTER MEMBER OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO SAID MOTION TRANSMITTING MEANS AND MOVABLE BY MEANS OF SAID ACTUATOR, SAID SIFTER MEMBER BEING IN MAJOR SUPPORTED CONTACT WITH SAID PERFORATED END CLOSURE WALL AND COMPRISING A CENTRAL HUB PORTION HAVING A PLURALITY OF MATERIAL AGITATING ARMS RADIATING THEREFROM, SAID ARMS BEING IN LOW FRICTIONAL CONTACT WITH SAID PERFORATED INTEMEDIATE WALL AND OF AN UPPER MATERIAL CONTACTING CONFIGURATION CHARACTERIZED BY A RADIATING NARROW UPSTANDING RIB, SAID RIB OF A PROGRESSIVELY INCREASING HEIGHT TOWARDS THE SAID SIDE WALLS AND TERMINATING IN AN ENLARGED MATERIAL CONTACTING PADDLE GENERALLY SUPERIMPOSED CENTRALLY OVER THE PERIPHERY OF SAID IMPERFORATE OUTER WEB AND IN CLOSE NON-CONTACTING PROXIMITY TO SAID SIDE WALLS. 